Cyprian Bhekuzulu

Common card · No. 378131

Cyprian Bhekuzulu Nyangayezizwe kaSolomon (4 August 1924 – 17 September 1968) was the king of the Zulu nation from 1948 until his death at Nongoma in 1968. He succeeded his father, king Solomon kaDinuzulu, after a lengthy succession dispute with his elder sibling, Zacharia, which was eventually resolved in 1944. Zacharia left for Mtubatuba where he would raise 7 children with his wife Phumzile. Cyprian's uncle, Arthur Mshiyeni kaDinuzulu, functioned as regent during both the succession dispute and Cyprian's minority. Cyprian ascended the throne as a chief of uSuthu rather than a Paramount Chief until 1951 when he was recognised as such by the white minority government of South Africa. Even then, he was a social head with no real power. Not since 1879 has anyone been recognised as a head of the Zulu people with an exception of Cyprian's uncle (acting Paramount Chief Mshiyeni) but even he was a regent. This title was granted to him because the government wanted to secure a Bantustan and...

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